


Self-Preservation

by foxjar



Series: Raison d'Être [1]
Category: Persona 5, Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Blackmail, Comedy, Crossover, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-09-25 22:29:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20379157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxjar/pseuds/foxjar
Summary: Makoto tries to blackmail a ghoul in a bar.





	Self-Preservation

When Makoto steps into the dimly-lit building, the only other people inside are the bartender and the man sitting at the counter. She slips onto the stool beside him, hands shaky as she slides a manila envelope toward him. At first, he doesn't seem to see it as he continues sipping his drink — a dark, red liquid sloshing in the polished glass — but she nudges it closer, closer.

The man sighs, setting his cup down. "Do I care what you have in here?"

"You should." Her voice comes out stronger than she feels, confident and firm. "I know what you are, Tsukiyama Shuu."

"Oh? And what is that?"

"A murderer," she says, then after lowering her voice: "A ghoul."

Shuu opens the envelope slowly, grating on Makoto's nerves with his seemingly carefree attitude.

_I have him cornered, and he's acting like he doesn't have a worry in the world._

From what she's found out about him through her research is that he should be much more high-strung than he's coming across. He should be ruthless, caring about nothing more than himself and his grotesque obsession with food.

_Is he just putting up a front? What am I missing here?_

As he flips through the photos from the envelope, Makoto watches his face. His expression is still stony until a small grin finally breaks through.

"Tell me, little one. What is it you hoped to achieve by blackmailing me?"

"An interview." This is her chance, so she takes the shot. "An exclusive look into the secret lives of ghouls."

Shuu waves his now empty glass at the bartender. "A member of the press then, I take it?"

"It's for my university's newspaper," Makoto admits. "Not that that matters, anyways —"

"You risked your life for your passion. That I can understand. But did you even look at your so-called evidence?"

He returns the photos to her and for a moment, she just stares at him. Of course she looked at the pictures before coming here; she reviewed them a hundred times, anxiety gripping her chest before she decided to take the leap.

When she finally reaches out to snatch the pictures back, their hands brush. She should shudder at having touched such a vile creature, no matter how brief it might have been, but she doesn't. His skin felt like anyone else's; they are almost soft, even.

"What do you see here?" Shuu asks, tapping the picture on the top of the stack.

Makoto glances at the bartender, near the other end of the bar but likely still within earshot.

"I don't think this is the place to —"

"Oh, little one." Makoto cringes at the nickname again as Shuu smiles at her. "You've already found yourself in the hornet's nest. Now tell me what you see."

She acquiesces to his demand, describing the first photo then the next, and the ones after that. All depict Shuu in various stages of creeping up to and eventually assaulting his prey.

A human.

"Your camerawork needs improvement," Shuu admits.

"This is clearly —"

"A love bite. Nothing more."

It had seemed so obvious to her, but he's right. There's no blood or visible injury, and she had thrown out the ones that turned out too blurry or too dark before she came here.

"Are you going to kill me, then?" She can't help but snap at him, his sarcasm drawing her patience thin. "For interrupting your evening?"

Shuu leans closer, sniffing at her hair, and she gasps. "_Non_. Your smell. I like it not."

Makoto leaves the bar more puzzled than when she had entered it.


End file.
